Dunfermline City headed over to Meggetland on Saturday to take on Edinburgh Colts.  This was a much anticipated encounter as Edinburgh Colts have been the only team to beat City in the league in there short history.

City Lined up with Tanton in goal a back four of Campbell, Fleming, Green and Graham – the midfield was changed from that off the previous week with Sean Byron coming in for Fraser Burns – Innes and Rintoul played in the middle with Melrose wide left with Miller and Walker up top.  Luke Palmer was on the bench at the start.

Edinburgh Colts with a few more senior players in their ranks than expected took the game to City from the off – and spent the first five minutes putting pressure on the City defence.

City gradually got to grips with this and started to create some chances – although they were finding the Edinburgh keeper in fine form.  This game flowed from end to end without many clear cut chances being made by either team.

Citys best chance came when Campbell made a surging run into the D to receive the ball and he just knocked the ball narrowly past the post.  Miller had one shot dragged wide and one shot brilliantly saved from a first time effort from a tremendous Campbell Ball across goal.

Walker always busy and hassling the opposition up front was looking the most threatening – but again the keeper stopped all put his way.

City finally went ahead when an Innes goal bound shot was kicked off target – the home umpire initially gave a short corner – but when he fully realised what happened he changed his decision to a penalty flick.  Adam Rintouls flicked it into his trademark top left corner.

City went in at half time 1 up – but knew they were in a real game.  The City defence had been put under more pressure in this game than they have been in all games put together this season. City were devoid of any width which was making it hard to channel the attacks up the field with a very narrow midfield.

The second half followed in the same vane.  Possession more or less 50/50.

Edinburgh finally got a breakthrough when they were wrongly awarded a short corner  – which they converted.

City didn’t draw on this too much as they went straight back up the park and scored – Andy Melrose took the ball wide left – drove past a defender then slipped the ball to Walker – with the keeper advancing he then went down allowing Walker to flick the ball into the roof of the net.

City had an opportunity to put the game beyond Edinburgh when Walker had a shot saved by the keeper – with the goal then to his mercy from a narrow angle he flicked the rebound into the side netting.

Edinburgh got a controversial goal with five minutes of the match remaining – The ball was hit into the d hitting a hand on the way – the umpire whistle blew awarding a foul – but as the City defence stopped an Edinburgh forward struck the ball into the goal – the umpire then decided for some unknown reason to award the goal. City thought about walking off the park at that point but stayed on.

City almost grabbed a last gasp winner as Miller disposed an Edinburgh player on the 25 yard mark – played it to Walker in the D who squared it to Innes with an open goal at his mercy – but a bobble from the ball meant it wasn’t to be as it went over the devastated midfielders stick.

Rintoul saw Green right at the death for a stretched tackle on an Edinburgh midfielder which send the youngster flying.

The whistle blew and the game ended 2.2.

Edinburgh to their credit gave City a very hard game although City felt disappointed by the result due to the manner in which the goals were conceded – not through the fault of the defence on both occasions.

City didn’t use the wings as much as they have in other games this season – which meant there wasn’t the same outlet for the defence – but the whole team still fought hard for the result.

City skipper Walker said after the game “we were disappointed not to get the win, however this was a hard fought point against one of the better teams in the league, I was pleased with the teams effort and we kept fighting to the death – and very nearly won it”

City coach Ryan Green added “this was a tough match – I feel we should have won this game on the balance of play however events transpired against us today.  I felt we were hard done by in the protection of our players from some harsh tackles which left some of our players frustrated.  However im delighted we stuck together as a team – and despite playing against what felt like 12 men we still came through undefeated”
Neither skipper Walker or Green were willing to comment on the major decisions made that influenced the game.

Next up for City a trip to Peffermill to face Edinburgh Uni.